GERMANDER:
A wonderful herb grown in knot garden for it only grows to be about 10-12" tall and when clipped it forms a decorative edging. It tolerates part shade, heat and poor rocky soil, however it does best in full sun with good soil. The seeds
take a long time to germinate-25-30 days so it is best to get this herb by stem cuttings or plant divisions. Plant plants 12" apart when planting. It sends forth little pink to purple flowers in mid to late summer. It has a woody , creeping rhizome which sends out a squarish stem that produces dark green, round leaves.
The whole plant tends to be hairy and fragrant.
Germander used to be grown to aliviate gout in the early days. It was also used as a snuff and for treating head colds. The constituents of germander include essential oils, tannins and bitter compounds, making germander have astringent, antiseptic, and diuretic properties. It is used to stimulate the appetite and improve digestion. By making a poultice, it is used to help with external, slow healing sores.
Write to me, Kathie Schmitt!